Transcendence
by vandiver49
Summary: More than brother and sister. Closer than boyfriend and girlfriend. Theirs is a relationship that transcends convention. CyRae
1. Chapter 1

Transcendence

By: vandiver49

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Teen Titans, DC Comics does. I'm just borrowing them for a moment. Please don't sue; people in the Navy don't make that much money to begin with.

---

_In the middle of the Titan's gym, two teammates prepared to square off._

"_No powers right?" Questioned the team's masked leader._

"_Only if you lose the belt." Deadpanned the resident sorceress._

_Nonplussed, he reached for the clasp of his utility belt. It fell silently to the ground. "Cloak."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because it can be used as a weapon."_

"_Only to you." She complied nonetheless, reaching for her broach. "Don't forget your…"_

_She looked up to see his cape already in hand. _

"_Any more requests?" He smirked._

"_Boots." She replied._

_He quirked a brow in response, stepping out of the steel-toes shoes. _

_With the tables equally leveled, both combatants fall into a defensive postures._

_She steadily eyes her opponent as he advances. Watching as he slowly circles, the lenses of his mask sliding up and down her frame. Suddenly, he charges, launching a flurry of kicks and punches at her._

_She recoils instinctively, for hand-to-hand combat is hardly her forte. That inexperience being the impetus for the current training session. Amidst the barrage, she maintains composure, deftly evading his every strike. An opening flashes into view as she sidesteps a forearm. She sends him flying with a kick to the back of the neck, briefly wishing he could see the look on his face._

_The joy is short lived as the Boy Wonder recovers with acrobatic ease. "Is the all you got?"_

_A dark thought bubbles up inside her. "You're welcome to more." _

_She teases him because it strengthens her resolve, imperative as she closes the distance between them. She quickly delivers a small combination, but her strikes hit nothing but air. _

_Her adversary had evaded her by somersaulting overhead, something she realized when his hands grabbed her shoulders. Regret pooled inside her, for she knew what was coming next._

'_Damn.'_

_His momentum helps to flip her through air, problematic given her earlier agreement. She lands with a thud on her back, wincing momentarily in pain. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself looking up into the mask of the teen vigilante who's straddled her hips._

_She struggles briefly against her captor before realizing he's also pinned her arms above her. She redoubles her efforts but stills in shock as he bends down to nibble at the nape of her neck. Against her volition, she begins to indulge in the sensations; his hot breath tickling at her skin, the comforting weight of his body atop hers, the unmistakable feel of him swelling against her. _

_Words struggle past her lips. "What are you doing?"_

_The reply is whispered subtly in her ear before he captures her lips with his. "Helping myself to more…"_

_---_

The piercing sound of shattering glass causes Raven to awake with a start, bolting upright in her bed. Breathless, she recites her mantra in an attempt to still her racing heart.

With a thought, she sparks to life several candles which bathe her room in a soft halo of light. She observes the fragments of porcelain, shards of glass and torn pages of books that are littered across her floor, a testament to the veracity of her latest dream. Minutes pass before her body begins to respond to her calming efforts, her flustered mind on the other hand, would probably require a stronger remedy.

"I need some tea."

Raven dressed and silently made her way to the kitchen, placing her kettle on the stove. As she waited for the water to boil, she turned towards the windows and gazed out at the city she and her teammates so ardently protected.

The sky was pitch this evening… or morning she revised after glancing at the stove's digital display. Yet an amber glow from streetlights and skyscrapers illuminated the night. It looked, for lack of a better term, peaceful.

As she continued to stare out into the darkness, a new set of lights caught her attention. She telekinetically removed the teapot from the eye, while her gaze followed the hi-beams of the T-Car. She watched as it raced across the bridge of Titan's Island towards the city, destination unknown.

'But not for long.' Raven thought as an ebony portal appeared beneath her feet.

---

Barring an emergency, most of the Titan's slept peaceable during the midnight hours, save one. For Cyborg sleep, along with a host of other normal bodily functions, was no longer necessary. The one requirement he did have, the charging of his power cells, proved to be an infrequent occurrence.

Cyborg would instead spend a majority of nights in the garage, striving to bring his mechanical fantasies to life. Security upgrades, the R-Cycle, T-Car and T-Ship were all byproducts of his 'insomnia.' His journey tonight was no different.

He drove through the streets of his adopted home, nodding his head in unison with the heavy base of the stereo.

"…_We was young, and we was dumb but we had heart; In the dark when we survived through the bad parts_…"

Cyborg continued to listen to Tupac wax rhapsodically about life in the 'hood, when his sensors alerted him to the arrival of an unexpected guest.

**Warning. Space-time Distortion Detected. Signature Correlates To**…

He hardly needed his internal computer to finish its analysis to know that the dark tendrils of energy to his left would coalesce into the resident demoness. The only response he made to her arrival was turning the volume down on the radio.

"Cyborg."

"Raven." He replied. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"Couldn't sleep." It was a small equivocation.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really." She answered as the car came to rest at the stoplight. "Where are you off to?"

"Just trying to pick up a project I've put off for far too long."

"Care to elaborate?" Raven countered.

The light changed before he answered. "Are you volunteering to help?"

"Depends." She shrugged, but her curiosity was piqued. She waited for the conversation to continue, but Cyborg chose to respond by pushing a random button on the dash. Moments later, an open thermos emerged from the glove box, filling the cabin with its chamomile scent.

Raven reached for the obvious bribe, inhaling its refreshing aroma. She looked up at the cybernetic teen and the besmirched expression that adorned his face before taking a sip. It tasted as good as it smelled.

"Sure, why not."

---

Had Raven known they were going on a subterranean adventure through an underground parking garage, the city's subway system and now a service tunnel, she might have reconsidered.

"Are we there yet?" She chided, following behind Cyborg as one of his shoulder mounted flashlights lit the way.

"Yeah Rae, we're close." He tossed back. "It used to be a lot easier to get here but so much has changed since we've been gone."

Though unseen, Raven nodded in agreement. So much urban renewal had transpired in their absence that Robin had made familiarization with the landscape a top priority. Many of the quaint storefront shops that were the city's hallmark had been razed in the name of progress.

"And here we are." Cyborg announced, snapping Raven from her reverie. So caught up in introspection was Raven that she failed to notice the access tunnel had opened into a cavernous expanse of granite. One she immediately recognized as the final home of familiar statue.

"Terra."


	2. Chapter 2

Transcendence

By: vandiver49

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Teen Titans, DC Comics does. I'm just borrowing them for a moment. Please don't sue; people in the Navy don't make that much money to begin with.

The events in this story take place after 'Titans Together.'

---

"You're awfully quiet back there." Cyborg said as he loomed over Terra's statue.

Raven's silence was due to her current admonishment of her curiosity. Psychoanalyzing Robin's cameo in her latest dream was preferable to being here.

"This is making you uncomfortable isn't it?"

"No." Raven countered. Cyborg turned from his task, challenging her assertion.

She sighed in resignation at his gaze. "Fine, maybe. I know it shouldn't be but…"

"It's hard to forgive and forget." He finished. She acknowledged him with a nod. "I know how you feel Rae. Our history with Terra has always been…complicated. But if there's any chance of reviving her, I'm going to need your help, especially now."

"Why?" Raven asked in confusion.

"Because it's not going to be as easy as I thought." Cyborg glanced at their fallen colleague before continuing. "There were two theories I had about what happened to Terra. The first being that she was encased in stone and her body was being held in a state of suspended animation."

"And the other?"

"The other theory, the one my molecular analysis just confirmed, is that she was somehow transformed into stone."

She now understood the gravity of the situation. The type of transmutation described was well outside Cyborg's expertise. But with her unparallel knowledge of magic and supernatural phenomena, Raven realized Terra's life rested solely in her hands. It scared her.

"You don't want my help on this."

There was slight waver in her voice, imperceptible unless you had enhanced hearing. "Why not?"

"Because I can't promise due diligence." It was a stunning admission on her part and it showed on Cyborg's face. "You have to understand. Terra and I were always hostile to each other. She had a knack for bringing out the worst in me. And part of me will never be able to forgive her. Unfortunately _that_ part is a daily struggle for me, just on simple things. I'm just too emotionally entwined to be objective. "

Blatant reference to her demonic heritage aside, Cyborg had an inkling as to the real crux of her dilemma. "You're worried about you and BB."

"He loves her, even after all this time. Even though she betrayed him, even though we're together, he loves her still." Raven lamented, a forlorn expression upon her face.

"And what does that, or your feelings about Terra in general, have to do with giving her a second chance at life?" Cyborg replied, his words lacking admonishment.

"It doesn't, I know that. I'm just worried that if we revive her, he might forget all about me." Raven confided.

Cyborg smiled sympathetically at the dark girl. "Raven, Beast Boy loved you long before Terra. And even if you two broke-up, he'd still love you, that's just the way he is. But you can't worry about things beyond your control."

Raven sighed in resignation at her selfishness. This was an endeavor of redemption, something which she was intimately familiar with. "I think I've got a couple of books on alchemy that may help."

"Cool. Now, could you do me a favor and move her into that alcove on the left." He directed, walking towards niche that had been carved in the cave.

Raven acquiesced, levitating Terra towards Cyborg. As she prepared to place the statue down, her powers wavered. Luckily, Cyborg massive hands were there to steady Terra's precarious position. Once secure, he cast a sidelong glance at his teammate.

"Sorry." She shrugged.

Cyborg merely shook his head in response before returning his attention to Terra. He covered the alcove in which she now resided with a transparent polymer, creating an airtight chamber. Finally, Cyborg placed a holographic emitter on the ground, which once engaged, shrouded the plastic casing in a granite illusion.

"All right Rae, let's go home." Cyborg stated, now content with Terra's current concealment.

"Yeah, I'm sure Logan's probably wondering about me." Raven replied absently as she headed for the exit.

"Logan?!"

Raven chided herself for the slip. "It's my pet name for him."

As they left, Cyborg was unable to contain his amusement.


	3. Chapter 3

Transcendence

By: vandiver49

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Teen Titans, DC Comics does. I'm just borrowing them for a moment. Please don't sue; people in the Navy don't make that much money to begin with.

The events in this story take place after 'Titans Together.'

---

It was another idyllic day in the city, the Sun's rays shining brightly through the windows of Titan's Tower. The residents of the island skyscraper were lounging about their home, enjoying the current lull in action.

For Raven and Beast Boy, this meant an afternoon lounging in the Common Area. The demoness sat cross-legged on the couch, a paperback version of Goodchild's _Wizard' First Rule_ curled in her hands. Beast Boy was beneath her on the floor, navigating his player through Act III of _Gears of War _with the TV muted. Outside of a clicking controller or the occasional turned page, the two sat in amicable silence. This quiet was broken though by the giggles of an alien princess.

"What's up with her?" Raven asked as she watched Starfire turn down the hall, her book forgotten.

Beast Boy looked up at Raven to answer. "What makes you think I know?"

"Because she was wearing _your_ iPod."

Her boyfriend tugged on his collar nervously, a telltale admission. "Maybe I kinda let Star to watch MTV with me." He replied sheepishly.

"You what?"

"Dude, how was I supposed to know she was a closet Christina Aguilera fan?"

Raven's head fell to her hands. "Sweet Azar, you've corrupted her."

---

The corruption of Starfire, or her acclimatization to Earth to be precise, had been a gradual process. Signs of her waning naïveté were readily apparent, from dropping the 'friend' appellation to the improvement of her culinary skills. But her greatest achievement might have been her continued perpetration of innocence.

This illusion allowed Starfire to gain uncanny insight into her friends psyche, the object of her affection in particular. She had discovered Robin was a creature of habit, one whom outside of emergencies or patrols, fastidiously stuck to routine. It was this dogged devotion that she hoped to exploit as she entered the gym and connected BB's iPod to the speaker system.

Predictably, Robin entered the gym for his 3 o'clock afternoon workout, but the sight he beheld as the doors parted caused his mind to come to a screeching halt.

"_And I'm on tonight, you know my hips don't lie and I'm starting to feel it's right; All the attraction, the tension don't you see baby, this is perfection_."

Robin would have been hard-pressed to recall whether it was Starfire's melodious voice or watching her mimic Shakira's nearly inhuman gyrations that had rendered him speechless. But one thing was for certain, there would be no workout today.

"Oh, Robin. My apologies." Starfire started, turning to acknowledge his presence. "I did not realize that it was time for your physical conditioning." She feigned sweetly.

The Boy Wonder attempted to say something intelligible, but his mind was so frazzled that he uttered gibberish instead.

She made her way by Robin towards to exit, finding the shocked conveyed in his mask and incoherent babble, rather amusing. "Next time I will endeavor to remember your schedule." Starfire said, struggling to keep a head splitting grin sheathed behind her lips.

She floated on her back towards the Common Area, her unbridled laughter resonating through the Tower.

"OK Starfire, what gives?" Raven ventured.

"Oh Raven it was wondrous. I believe Robin was most impressed." It was at that point their fearless leader decided to make his entrance. His stupefied expression even garnered Beast Boy's attention. He was attempting to snap Robin out of his catatonic state using the same techniques that had proven successful with him; namely bad jokes and wet willies.

"And what pray tell, did you do?" Raven asked.

Starfire started to answer, but was interrupted by the one thing guaranteed to break Robin from his stupor; the wailing of the emergency alarm.

---

Though it lacked an official name, Robin mentally referred to their current formation as 'transport configuration three'. Raven was flying point, with Cyborg and Robin carried aloft by Starfire and a green pterodactyl respectively, thus maximizing closure speed. Their destination was readily apparent, as plumes of black smoke rose from various downtown locations, marring an otherwise colorful dusk.

The source of the unrest was easily ascertained from their lofty vantage point as the streets were choked with an angry mob. Normally, such civil disturbances rarely merited superhero intervention. But the fact that police officers and firefighters were also active participants in the fray gave pause.

Raven was the first to waver, stopping mid-flight a few blocks from what appeared to be the center of commotion. A prickly sensation lapped at the fringes of her mind, forcing her land on a mid-rise rooftop, her teammates quickly following suit.

"Raven, why are we stopping?" Robin screamed upon landing. Raven was facing out at the chaos, away from her friends. "That mob is tearing the city apart!"

"Can't you hear it?" She spoke. A hand was at her temple as the prick had grown to a whisper, one that was now threatening her control.

"Hear what?" Robin challenged forcefully. He reached to turn the sorceress but was thwarted by an ebony shield.

"Telepathic suggestion." Raven surmised. "It's why you're yelling. It's what Beast Boy is fighting." She pointed in the general direction of the green teen, who had morphed into his human form upon landing. But clearly something was wrong as he was doubled over at the waist, a feral growl accompanying his every breath. "It's calling to us, our darkness."

She was right, Robin realized begrudgingly. He could feel the disdain and spite normally reserved for Gotham's most depraved coursing through his veins. He reached for his utility belt and produced a small object, promptly placing it in his ear.

Meanwhile Cyborg and Starfire watched their teammates with concern. "Cyborg, I am afraid I cannot hear the voices which Raven refers to."

"Yeah, me neither."

"Good, that immunity may come in handy." Robin interjected, once again the model of composure. In his hands were two more devices of similar design, which he proffered to them. "Here, give these to the others. Once activated it should shield them from telepathic influence."

"Unfortunately, you're efforts shall be in vain." Answered a malicious voice from above.

Robin looked up with recognition etched on his face. "Psimon!" Instinctively, Cyborg and Starfire turned and braced for attack as the villain descended from the sky.

"As you can see, your friends are already lost." His arms opened gracefully towards the directions of Raven and Beast Boy, or more accurately, where the two Titans should have been.

"What have you done to them?" Robin bit angrily.

"The evil that lurked within them was palpable, begging for release." Psimon replied, waves of psychic current coursing over the open globe of his mind. "I merely touched them as I did the crazed mob below, lowering their inhibitions."

The Boy Wonder had heard enough. "Cyborg, you and Starfire find Raven and Beast Boy." He drew a collapsible baton from his belt, twirling it in his hand to achieve full extension. Cyborg acknowledged the order with a nod. He could see the steely determination that lurked under their leader's mask. Starfire though, was somewhat hesitant.

"But Robin, we should-" She attempted, but was cut off.

"No Starfire, Psimon's mine."


	4. Chapter 4

Transcendence

By: vandiver49

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Teen Titans, DC Comics does. I'm just borrowing them for a moment. Please don't sue; people in the Navy don't make that much money to begin with.

---

"Arrgghhh!"

Robin's cry was one of frustration as he charged across the rooftop at his assailant. He leapt into the air once more, swinging his staff furiously at the hovering Psimon. As had been the case with previous attempts, the psychic dodged every one of Robin's strikes with relative ease. Psimon retaliated with a telekinetic shove, sending the Boy Wonder's body skidding across the blacktop.

Undaunted, Robin picked himself up to continue the fight, hurtling a series of explosive disks skyward. The concussive force echoed through the night, shrouding the immediate vicinity in a cloud of smoke. But the settling dust revealed an unharmed Psimon, gazing down at the vigilante.

"You believe you can defeat me with these…toys?" Psimon uttered with disdain. "Apparently, you are more foolish than I thought."

Robin merely smirked at Psimon's mocking tone for he still had several tricks left up his sleeve; or more accurately, his hand. The previous barrage was but a feint, the primary assault being the grapnel in Robin's palm. The teen engaged the winch, causing wire rope to spool around the internal drum. A sudden jerk of the hovering psychic revealed where the grapnel's claw was located; knotted around Psimon's ankle.

It was Psimon's arrogance that had given Robin a momentary advantage that he was determined to capitalize on. He lashed the grapnel around a nearby standpipe and bolted at the incoming telepath. As he neared, Robin launched his collapsible bow like a javelin at Psimon's transparent dome.

In the face of multiple threats, Psimon chose to eliminate the one that presented the most imminent danger. The staff stopped in midair before being batted aside harmlessly by the psychic with his mind. He then set his thoughts on disengaging the grapnel as well as the Boy Wonder's whereabouts. The answer to the latter would come quickly.

Robin was lurking directly behind the telepath. After throwing his bow, he had slid underneath the descending Psimon and waited for an opening. As soon as it had been cast aside, he lashed out with a powerful roundhouse to the base of Psimon's skull.

The steel-toed attack reverberated throughout the telepath's frame, catapulting his body back into the air. The kick, combined with reeling grapnel, sent Psimon on an erratic flight, bouncing off the roof several times before coming to a stop.

Though successful, there was no time for Robin to relish it as Psimon freed himself from of the cable with ease. The telepath turn on the Titan, disgust etched in his face.

"You are beginning to annoy me, child."

The words fell upon deaf ears, as Robin's mind was already calculating his next course of action. Amidst the bevy of tactics and strategies were the words of his mentor, lapping at the corners of his conciseness.

_Assess the situation._

Undoubtedly dire in Robin's estimation. Mayhem reigned on the streets as dusk turned to night. Two of his teammates were incapacitated at best, though their plight was in all probability much worse. He had dispatched Cyborg and Starfire to retrieve their wayward teammates, thus leaving him with the responsibility of subduing Psimon. The decision left him combating an opponent who possessed the worst abilities one could face; telepathy and telekinesis.

_Marshall your resources._

At present, none were available. Calling for reinforcements was a possibility, but with Titans East across the country, and Kid Flash and Jinx out of town, help would not arrive soon enough. He was down to a handful of explosive disks and was currently without his primary weapon. Perilous as it appeared, Robin was confident as the Teen Titans had prevailed against much worse. Resolved, he prepared to go once more into the breach, but stilled when the Dark Knight's final tenant whispered in his ear.

_Never forget the mission._

The Boy Wonder threw a smoke grenade at his feet, turned and jumped off the building's ledge into the night.

---

Starfire initially believed that finding Beast Boy would be difficult, given his shapeshifting abilities. But she needed only to follow the panicked masses that were fleeing some unseen terror to locate her teammate.

From her lofty perch, Starfire surveyed the scene below and sighed. Amidst a pile of wrecked vehicles was her friend, in the form of his darker persona, the Beast. Getting Beast Boy to accept her aid in his current state was going to be problematic. Still, Starfire floated downward, electing to try a non-combative approach first.

"Beast Boy, It is I, Starfire. Can you hear me?"

The Beast hurled one of the totaled cars at the Tamaranean in response. Avoiding the projectile with ease, Starfire descended again towards her friend.

"Please Beast Boy, you must allow me to assist you."

She was close enough to peer into her friend's pupiless gaze. Close enough to, if she dared, wedged the resonance discriminator Robin had given her in the Beast's ear. She instead chose to try and sooth her teammate with a reassuring touch.

Startled by the violation of personnel space, the Beast reacted as any predator would. He lashed out at Starfire with his giant paw, sending her careening into a nearby building. The low-rise collapsed under the force of the impact, burying the princess in a pile of debris. As if pleased, the Beast bayed at the night sky before bounding down the street.

Starfire pulled herself from the rubble effortlessly and took to the air in pursuit. Flying with haste, she was overhead the Beast within seconds, starbolts charging in her fists.

"X'hal, forgive me." With a heavy heart Starfire lobbed her first volley.

Her starbolts landed just ahead of the striding Beast, mangling the asphalt in his path. Predictably, the obstruction sent the Beast careening headlong into an abandoned warehouse. The buildings metallic girders, ringing from the collision, distressed the Beast as he clutched his ears in pain. It was an opening Starfire pressed. Like a jet fighter, she barrel rolled towards the deck, flying level on her distracted teammate.

She slammed into the Beast, rocketing the two of them through the warehouse's interior, crumbling multiple walls in the process. Starfire released the Beast once they emerged on the other side and pulled herself up towards the sky; or would have if not for the Beast's grasp around her legs.

He slammed Starfire, once, twice, three times into the ground. Dust billowed into the air with every impact, until the Beast finally relented. He turned from the resulting impact crater; his senses convincing his that the threat had been neutralized. The Beast shook his head several times as if to clear the cobwebs, unaware his animal instincts had betrayed him.

An eerie emerald glow pierced the cloud of dust and effectively concealed the two I-Beams Starfire had in hand. She slammed them together repeated, producing a low guttural tone that reverberated for several city blocks. It was an agonizing sound to the Beast who thrashed about with hands on head, trying to make it stop.

The princess dropped the supports and dashed at the Beast from behind, locking his arms in a half-nelson. Like a bucking bull the Beast jerked about, attempting to fling Starfire from his back, but Tamaranean strength kept her attached. With her free hand, Starfire wedged the discriminator in the Beast's ear.

The effect was immediate as a tranquil calm flowed over him; muscles relaxed, breathing slowed, the will to fight evaporated. Starfire released her hold, allowing the Beast to fall on all fours. Within moments, the hulking mass of animalistic rage morphed into the green teen Starfire had come to know.

---

In another part of the city, a similar conflict between Titans was unfolding.

"I'm just tryin' to help!!!!" Cyborg screamed as he was catapulted from a dark alley. He tumbled briefly before coming to a stop underneath a nearby streetlight. He picked himself up and prepared to reason with Raven some more, when he noticed the blinking indicator on him forearm.

"Cyborg." He answered into his communicator.

"_Hello friend. How are you progressing?"_ Taking the call caused Cyborg to miss the ebony shrouded dumpster flying at him, something his onboard computers promptly alerted him of.

"Whoa, incoming!!" The line went silent for a couple a seconds as he dodged the makeshift missile. "Ummm…I'm kinda busy right now Star. What's up?"

"_Oh, my apologies. I just wanted to inform you that Beast Boy is back to normal, but unconscious. How should I proceed?"_

"No prob. I'll send the T-Car to your location. Just put him inside and meet up with Robin. The car will take BB back to the Tower."

"_Understood. Are you sure you do not require my assistance?"_

"Nah, I got things covered here, Cyborg out." With the connection cut the mechanical teen stormed over to the alley's entrance, his attention focused once more on the source of his current frustration. A dark force field now stood at the opening, irritating him further.

"Alright Raven, quit playin' and let me in!"

"No! For the last time, I don't need your help!" Unlike Beast Boy, Raven had not fully succumbed to her more sinister nature. Cyborg had only seen her like this on a handful of occasions, mainly whenever they encountered Dr. Light. The difference in her current iteration and that demonic form was negligible in his estimation. It was apparent that Raven was beyond reasoning, leaving Cyborg with a less than palatable alternative. He took the discriminator out of a small compartment and held it in his hand.

**Scanning…scanning…scans complete. Downloading schematics. Assimilation of new technology in progress…**

Getting close enough to Raven to use the tiny device was out of the question. His only option was to increase the discriminator's operational distance.

**Assimilation complete. Maximum effective range using Sonic Cannon…10 feet.**

Not as far as he had hope, but better than nothing. Now, all he needed to do was get Raven to drop her shield.

"Fine, be that way. Big, bad Raven can't let anyone help her. It's not like you have a wonderful track record 'handling' problems on your own."

"Quiet!"

"Let's see, there was the time where you turned the Tower into a haunted house, the time you went all 'Faces of Death' on Dr. Light. And how can anyone forget your boy Malchior? We all had a great time chasing down-"

"Stop it Cyborg. You're making me angry."

He ignored her. "What else? Oh, there was that trip into your mind, I especially enjoyed that one. Speaking of which, it'd been nice to know that you were the Seventh Sign and all. At least I could have cleared my calendar for-" Cyborg paused as the dark shield he had been yelling at evaporated away.

In its place was a tendril of ebony magic that enveloped Cyborg's torso and pulled him into the alley. She had obviously heard enough. Within seconds he was eye-to-eye with a pissed off Raven.

"Got anything to say now?"While the malevolence in her voice was palpable, Cyborg was unafraid.

"Actually, I do." He replied and fired his cannon directly at Raven.

Instead of a blue stream of concentrated energy, his arm resonated with high frequency sound waves that caused Raven and her cloak writhed together in agony. She dropped Cyborg to the ground as nearby shadows began amassing into Raven's soul-self. The dark bird exploded in the sky moments after cohesion, dropping the sorceress lifelessly back to Earth. Luckily, she landed in her teammates waiting arms.

"Unngghhh, Cyborg?" A disoriented Raven asked.

"Hey darkchild, how ya feelin'?" She muttered something unintelligible in response before passing out. He carried her out towards the curb to meet the T-Car, already en route.

Cyborg smiled down at her as she slept; the familiarity of their current predicament was overwhelming. "You know Rae, we've got to stop meeting like this."

---

With the grapnel line set, Robin prepared to pull himself across to the next rooftop. From the concrete canyon behind him rose a now familiar white mist. Such had been Robin's pattern for the past half hour, leaping from building to building, crop-dusting the streets below with a fast acting sleep agent.

_Never forget the mission._

The mission was to protect the city. The mission was ensuring the safety of the people. His quest for vengeance had been a misguided idea, one he was desperately trying to remedy. Robin jumped in the air but faltered as some unseen force parted the tension line, sending him into freefall. Acrobatic instincts took over as the Boy Wonder tucked into a ball, controlling his descent. He executed a prefect landing, meeting the ground feet first, ready to strike.

Above him floated a scowling Psimon. "You have interfered in my plans long enough."

"Wrong Psimon." Robin countered. "The Titans protect this city and you're the one who's done interfering." He had expected his actions would garner the telepath's attention, an eventuality for which he was prepared. He gave a small nod, barely perceptible unless you were blessed with enhanced alien vision.

High in the night sky hung Starfire, who had been shadowing the Boy Wonder. Upon his signal, she reigned down starbolts on the unsuspecting Psimon, pummeling him towards the pavement. When he was within reach, Robin grabbed his enemy by the collar and slammed him into a wall.

"Make it stop." Robin said through clench teeth. He whipped out a birdarang and lodged it into Psimon's glass skull for emphasis. "Now."

In the face of overwhelming odds and probable bodily harm, the psychic acquiesced.


	5. Chapter 5

Transcendence

By: vandiver49

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Teen Titans, DC Comics does. I'm just borrowing them for a moment. Please don't sue; people in the Navy don't make that much money to begin with.

I apologize in advance for the delay in updating this story. Deployments to the Persian Gulf tend to dampen my muse.

---

Raven was feigning sleep, embracing its cloak of darkness. Though the empath had regained consciousness several minutes earlier, she had elected to deny the existence of the world for a little longer. Besides, opening her eyes wouldn't tell her anything she didn't already know; that she was laying in the med lab of Titans Tower recovering from yet another 'complication' involving her demonic heritage. A sobering reality Raven sought reprieve from for a few more minutes.

"Hey Raven, you awake?" Beast Boy asked from his biobed, ending her respite. She could have ignored the green teen, but her boyfriend tended to be annoyingly persistent.

"I am now." Raven just groaned in response, rolling on her side to face her fellow patient.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Other than a killer headache, not bad I guess." There was a dull ache in the back of her mind that only lengthy meditation would alleviate. "Do you remember what happened?"

Beast Boy shook his head. "Nope, last thing I remember was landing on the roof. Everything else is a blank. How 'bout you?"

Unfortunately for Raven, she had total recollection of her actions. "I imagine that since we're in the infirmary and not the morgue that they won."

Beast Boy's brow scrunched in confusion. "Wait a minute, don't you mean 'we'?"

Raven glanced upward towards the ceiling. "Not tonight I'm afraid. You and I were part of the problem, not the solution."

Beast Boy's face turned with the explanation. "I turned into the Beast didn't I?"

Raven simply nodded in affirmation.

"Dammit!" Beast Boy turned in his bed in frustration. "And I thought I had him under control."

"It's not you fault Logan. Psimon's telepathic even overpowered my mental barriers."

Raven's consolation fell on deaf ears. "But why us? Why weren't Star, Rob or Cy affected?"

The question surprised Raven, considering the source. "Probably because while everyone has the potential for evil, our can actually be made manifest." To her it made sense. Starfire, for all her righteous fury, was as pure as fresh driven snow. Cyborg she guessed either lack the necessary grey matter for psychic manipulation or was equipped with the means to defeat such an attack. Her theory had a major flaw though.

"But what about Robin? He doesn't even have superpowers." Beast Boy pointed out.

Raven could only shrug her shoulders. "I don't know." But what she did know was that this conundrum would likely plague her sleepless night.

Beast Boy evidently accepted her response in turn. "I wonder who I managed to hurt this time." He said dejectedly.

"What makes you say that?"

Beast Boy rolled his back towards Raven and pulled the sheet down, revealing his heavily bandaged body.

Raven mentally winced at the sight as he clearly had taken some undo punishment. Resolved, she pulled herself out of bed and made her way to her boyfriend's bedside.

"Raven, what do you think you're doing?" Beast Boy asked as her fingers delicately caressed Beast Boy's wounds.

The empath made derisive sound. "Trying to heal you, obviously."

"Umm…are you sure you're even supposed to be out of bed?"

She chose not to answer his question. "Look, I don't see a reason for both of us to be in here."

Beast Boy shrugged. "OK, if you say so."

Raven closed her eyes in preparation. She fought past the dull ache in the back of her head, focusing in the pain the radiated from her boyfriend's body. Slowly, a familiar ebony glow enveloped her palms, but before she could begin she was interrupted.

"Umm, Raven?"

"Hush," She admonished. "I'm trying to concentrate." But with her eyes closed she was unable to see what Beast Boy was attempting to draw Raven's attention to.

"The only thing you should be concentrating on Raven is your own recovery." An unusual tenor laced the bubbly voice that answered in return.

Raven cracked open one eye to discover Starfire standing at the doorway with trays of food in hand. She could hardly image anything worse than being lectured to by the resident alien princess. Beast Boy conveyed her feelings succinctly.

"Busted."

Starfire entered the med bay with her trays. "Please Raven; the two of you require rest for the next twelve hours while under observation."

"Says who?" Raven challenged.

"Why Cyborg of course." She countered.

Raven resigned to herself to the confinement, climbing back into bed. "Where is Cyborg anyway?"

"I believe that he and Robin are both in the Evidence Room." She replied. "Anyway I felt your recovery would be aided by a wonderful dinner."

"Its not Tameranean Glorg Pudding is it?" Beast Boy ventured reluctantly.

"No Beast Boy, it is not. Though I find it interesting that you do not like Glorg Pudding; its taste is not that dissimilar to the tofu you are so fond of." Starfire answered.

"For one thing tofu doesn't move." Beast Boy mumbled under his breath.

"Regardless, I have bought for you Vegetable Soup and for you Raven, Clam Chowder."

Starfire turned towards Beast Boy where he was able to see three reddish gashes across her abdomen.

"Star, please tell me I didn't do that?" He asked.

She looked down at her wounds and frowned. "Unfortunately Beast Boy, I cannot as these wounds were inflicted by you. I had a very difficult time subduing your alter ego."

Beast Boy could only hang his head in shame.

---

On the other side of the tower, Robin and Cyborg were cloistered away, compiling the latest report on Psimon in the Evidence Room.

"OK Robin, I've added my report to your database, is there anything else you need?"

Cyborg's comment fell upon deaf ears as Robin was currently lost in thought, his gaze transfixed on the icon of his most arduous opponent, the mask of Slade.

"Robin, hey man you OK?"

"I was close Cyborg."

"Close to what?"

"To killing Psimon."

"What!?" Replied an obviously shocked Cyborg.

The vigilante finally turned back to him. "Rarely do I ever get so incensed. Maybe when I had to face the Joker, but not ever Slade drove me to those lengths. But tonight, I experienced something completely different. As I watched the city try to tear itself apart, I realized the hopelessness of what we do."

Cyborg was naturally appalled. "What are you talking about man? We save lives every time we go out. If it wasn't for us this city would be in shambles."

"But how many lives were damaged tonight by an individual who will more than likely escape from prison and terrorize the city several months from now."

"Yeah, but it's not your fault that he or any supervillian escapes." Cyborg countered.

"And that's my point." Robin replied with emphasis. "We turn our enemies over to people who, through no fault of their own, are incapable of detaining them in the first place."

"And that the deal Robin. We stop 'em, they lock them up."

"But if they were somehow permanently incapacitated, it would make everyone's job easier. That's what I was thinking about when I was fighting Psimon on the rooftop. That's how he made me lose control."

"Look Robin, you know as well as I that we try to preserve all life, be it innocent or evil. Besides, there's no rationale for taking someone's life, you'd never be able to live with yourself."

'You have no idea what I could or couldn't live with.' Robin thought disturbingly. Frustrated with the current line of conversation, he turned back towards the computer and began reviewing Cyborg's entry. "So what exactly did you have to do to retrieve Raven?"

"I just downloaded your discriminator specs and projected it through my sonic cannon. It was a lucky break really. It's all in the report."

"That was some great thinking on the fly." Robin said as he scanned Cyborg's comments and marveled not only at its brilliance but the possible implications. "There is some practicality in developing a system of fail safes in case one of us goes rogue again."

A scowl began to darken Cyborg's countenance. "Come again."

"Such protocols would minimize collateral damage to us as well as the city. And can you honestly tell me the thought has never crossed mind? That if we'd had such contingencies in place that neutralizing Raven and BB would have gone a lot smoother?"

Cyborg simply starred at Robin, mostly because of his glaring omission.

Robin quickly picked up on his teammate's silent accusation. "And myself."

"Where would you even come up with such a crazy idea?"

"It was something used back in Gotham."

That was all the conformation Cyborg needed. Only Gotham City and the cloak of its protector could generate that level of paranoia. "So, how do you propose implementing such a plan? I mean I trust you, just not as much as I used to."

Robin sighed, but Cyborg's barb was well deserved. "Well, we can share the plans that we come up with for the rest of the team and keep the ones for us to ourselves."

Cyborg hadn't planned on giving Robin an answer as he got up and walked towards the door, the entire idea didn't sit well with him. But it did have merit. "Fine Rob, I'll do it. But I want you to understand that you're asking me to knowingly plot the demise of not just our teammates, but our friends. Its a betrayal, pure and simple."

Cyborg left Robin alone with his thoughts and headed towards medical to check on his patients. But as he gave further consideration to his leader state he ran into Starfire.

"Hey Star, how are BB and Rae doing?"

The princess started to answer, but yawned in a very unladylike matter. "I apologize Cyborg, I find myself somewhat exhausted this evening. But to answer you're question, they are resting comfortably, though are rather displeased with their confinement."

"Well all they need to do is make it through the night."

"Indeed. If you require nothing else I believe I shall retire for the night."

As she walked away, Cyborg was struck with an idea. "Hey Star, would you do me a favor?"

"Yes, Cyborg?" She turned and answered, her eyes half lidded.

"Could you stop by and see Robin before you turn in. I think he's still a little depressed about what happened today." He felt bad for asking but didn't think she would mind the assignment.

"I am unsure if I will be capable of cheering Robin up. His morose after battles typically runs very deep when he feels he has failed."

Cyborg nodded in agreement. "Trust me Star, whether he shows it or not, you always cheer him up. And besides, all you need to do tonight is listen. He's in a fairly talkative mood."

"I will try your approach."

"Thanks Star. Night." Cyborg said in parting before continuing towards his destination. Once there he immediately began reading the scans of the two occupants. With Beast Boy finally asleep, his body had begun its rapid healing process, definitely a good sign. He turned his attention towards Raven, who unsurprising was still awake.

"Hey what are still doing up?" He asked slightly startled.

"I couldn't sleep." She deadpanned.

"That's starting to become a frequent occurrence for you."

It was becoming a disturbing trend, but tonight was different. "This time there's a legitimate reason for my insomnia." Raven replied as she cast a sidelong glance at a snoring Beast Boy.

Cyborg could only shake his head. "My bad. I hope to have you outta here in the morning, if it's any consolation."

Raven looked down at the openings in Cyborg's body and winced with the same pain her boyfriend earlier had. "I'm sorry." She whispered regretfully. Though the dark sorceress was gifted in many fields, apologizes were never a strong suit for her.

Cyborg followed her gaze to the exposed wires and circuitry of his torso before waving off her concern. "There's no need to apologize. It's not like this was the first time I've had to face your less than sunny disposition." Cyborg started. "As for the damage, as soon as I shut down for the night my repair systems will have me fixed up good as new." Raven was quick to pick up on the correction.

"But still, I allowed some second rate telepath influence over the most sacred part of my psyche." Indeed, while Beast Boy was still developing the metal shielding to hold his more animalistic persona at bay, she was well practiced in the art. The ease with which she succumbed was unnerving to say the least.

Cyborg pulled up one of the reinforced titanium stools designed to support his massive frame up next to Raven's bed. "Look Rae, I'll tell you the same thing I told Robin, you're not always to blame. Also, it's not as if you have to deal with this problem by yourself, that's what friends are for."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Raven past history would indicate the contrary. "As stubborn as you are, I'm sure it's a difficult thing for you to grasp. Anyway, whenever you're ready to go to sleep just put these on." From somewhere, Raven had a difficult time discerning where exactly from; Cyborg produced a pair of headphones. She was obviously skeptical.

"And how will these help, pray tell?"

"There noise cancellation headphones. Just try them on." He replied.

As soon as Raven donned the headphones, the din of beeping, hissing and clicking that were apart of the med lab's symphony faded into a blissful silence. Even Beast Boy's incessant snoring had evaporated away. Her appreciation for the quiet reverie was written across her face.

"I knew you'd like 'em."

Of course, Raven hadn't heard a word. "This is wonderful Cyborg. I wish you could do my whole room like this."

The idea actually hadn't crossed his mind before. It would definitely be an interesting project. "It'd take a little work, but I definitely think it's doable."

His words though had fallen upon deaf ears as Raven had finally found the peace necessary to slip the confines of consciousness. Cyborg pulled Raven's sheet up and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Night Rae."


End file.
